Liveby Alison Krauss & Union Station

If you are only vaguely interested in Americana or bluegrass then this seminal offering from the multiple Grammy award winners is a must have. Alison Krauss and Union Station are in many ways the benchmark performers of this genre and this is no accident. This live offering demonstrates the sheer musical grip and control that this group of musicians have over their material and this mastery is only really demonstrated in a live offering when the production is secondary to artistry. Having said that of course production is in some ways more important with a live album and this offering is well produced. Ultimately, however, the production values only relate to the content and the content of this album is excellent, representing as it does, the full range of the repertoire of Alison Krauss an Union Station, albeit from 2002. For those of you more familiar with Krauss's work later in her career this will represent a different perspective. Krauss's collaborative work is better known and more commercial but this album illustrates perfectly her provenance and her voice, which has matured and improved over the years is at its best here. No-one can match Alison Krauss for sheer purity of tone and that stunning quality is amply demonstrated with the beautiful 'Down to the river to prey'. But this group is not just about Krauss and the counterpoint to her voice is the in some ways discordant quality of the male vocal offerings. I use the term discordant only in comparison to Krauss's voice because the tonal quality of all of the vocal offerings is engaging; it is the reference between the two styles that is so interesting. The album has a theme but it is not all the same and as a true live offering one really does have an impression of what it must feel like to attend a live gig. A a measure of the value of a live album this has to be the pertinent point. Overall, this is a deeply engaging experience and a piece of music that really does deserve to be listened to in one sitting. Pour yourself a shot of 'Wild Turkey' sit back in a favourite arm chair and enjoy a real concert experience.